miglit be styled honourable and advantageous. The inconveniencies that might have resulted from some of the cessions, subsequent events have obviated: but these form no apology for the peace-makers, whose haste to obtain this desirable blessing rendered them too eager to be cautious, and precluded better terms. In the last chapter, the historian takes a survey of the state of the different powers engaged in this contest; and shows, that, though the object was to overthrow the authority of Great-Britain, and to tarnish her glory, notwithstanding that the great and principal point was obtained, she, alone, could again rise above her misfortunes she, alone, was unhurt by wounds which proved almost fatal to some of her antagonists, and injurious to all. Mr. Adolphus concludes with the following judicious reflexions:

Reviewing the period comprised in the present narrative, we find the kingdom involved in difficulties of the utmost magnitude. A combination of talent and influence, forming an opposition to the court, which drove from the helm, in eight years, five lists of ministers, besides occasioning subordinate changes; the populace impelled to the extremes of violence, and the verge of insurrection, while the administration of the laws appeared too feeble to restrain their excesses; the stability of government scarcely restored, when the passions of the nation were engaged by a rebellion in the American colonies, aided in its progress by those who are called the natural enemies, and those who ought to be the natural allies of Great Britain; the contentions of party maintained during this conflict with increased fervour, and the conduct of the revolters justified and applauded by able and resolute parliamentary advocates; the war unsuccessful, the peace censured as inglorious; yet the occupations of commerce, the calls of justice, the duties of the subject, and the cares of government, pursued with unabated vigour and philosophic temperance. What could produce these astonishing effects? what ensure, in such a crisis, the safety both of government and liberty, but the spirit of the British constitution, so admirably adapted to the preservation of both? Protected by that constitution, all classes concurred in their endeavours to heal the wounds inflicted by war in the bosom of their country, and soon found their cares repaid with success beyond their hopes. Hostile confederacies may again menace, and internal dissentions may again plant inveteracy between leaders of political parties; but the great interests of the state, the stability of law, and the full enjoyment of freedom, can never be impaired, while Great Britain preserves inviolate that source of greatness, and spring of happiness, her inestimable constitution.' Vol. iii. F. 599.

Having followed our author with so much care, interspersing our praises, and, in a few instances, our censures, as the different parts seemed to require, we shall not enlarge on the merits and faults of this work in general. The former undoubt edly predominate in a very considerable degree; and, where we have found deficiencies, or, as we have suspected, crrors, it is

not easy to say how, at this period, the first should have been supplied, or the last corrected. The history, on the whole, is candid and impartial: it sometimes, we have thought, assumes too nearly the form of annals. The reflexions are sparingly interspersed: nor are these profound or philosophic. The lan-. guage is neat and correct, seldom rising to peculiar elegance, and never sinking to impropriety or meanness. The few characters which Mr. Adolphus has introduced, are drawn with spirit and precision: but the sources of many of the events, which might even now be safely traced, are passed over too cursorily. The present, however, as a first attempt, is truly respectable. In a future trial, or in a continuation, our author's now unfledged pinions may be equal to a sublimer flight; and, should he not be able to emulate Sallust or Tacitus, he may at least become a Suetonius or a Livy.

ART. XII.-The Edinburgh Practice of Physic, Surgery, and Midwifery; preceded by an Abstract of the Theory of Medicine, and the Nosology of Dr. Cullen: and including upwards of six hundred authentic Formule, from the Books of St. Bartholomew's, St. George's, St. Thomas's, Guy's, and other Hospitals in London, and from the Lectures and Writings of the most eminent public Teachers. With twenty 4to. Plates. A new Edition. 5 Vols. 8vo. 31. 15s. Boards. Kearsley. 1903.

ILL weeds grow apace;' but a more rapid increase we have seldom witnessed, even within the tropics, where fruits advance in bulk so quickly, that their growth is almost visible. We seem but yesterday to have examined a huge octavo of eight hundred pages; yet it appeared three years since; and is now augmented to five volumes, each of more than half the size of the first edition. Fortunate has been the author, if all his former copies be sold. This, however, is foreign to our pur

pose.

In the first edition of this work, though a prior appearance was hinted at, we chiefly noticed the author's plan and object. We there expressed our opinion, that the volume was connected with Edinburgh in name only-an opinion which subsequent information confirms. A tolerably well-compacted history of medicine precedes, which concludes with an account of the life and works of the first Dr. Monro. The work itself commences with an abstract of Dr. James Gregory's Con-" spectus Medicinæ. This is followed by what we think an imperfect and inadequate view of Dr. Cullen's system; but, though included under the part entitled the Theory of Medicine,' much of it relates to his pathology, and his particular doctrine CRIT. REV. Vol. 39. December, 1893.

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of fevers. An abstract of the Brunonian system succeeds, more closely and scientifically compacted. From the pains bestowed on the last, we should have almost suspected the author to have been a follower of Brown, but that he adds remarks which must wholly destroy its credit with all, except the young, the superficial, and the indolent.

The chapter on nosology contains an account of the system of Dr. Cullen, and is followed by therapeutics, or the practice of medicine. But, though this meaning of the term be supported by some authors of the Stahlian school, in modern, writers the therapeia includes only the general doctrines of remedies: even Torti styles his treatise on the practice of physic, so far as it regards intermittents, Therapeia Specialis." In this part, our author chiefly follows Dr. Cullen, prefixing Baeta's Comparative View of the Theories of Cullen, Brown, and

Darwin.

In the Practice, though Dr. Cullen be in general copied, we find an ample and a faithful compilation of what the best authors have also remarked, and commonly in their own words. To follow the author, therefore, minutely would be a tedious and useless task; nor can we avoid regretting that he should have yielded to the indolence of copying, when, with a little labour, he might, in a much shorter compass, and much more advantageously, have compacted the opinions of each practitioner in a continued detail. The first volume contains the fevers and inflammations, concluding with gout.

In the second volume, the exanthemata commence; and the practice of medicine concludes in it with the dolor faciei. As the assistance of Dr. Cullen, in the less general diseases, sometimes fails him, the author finds, other resources; and he has compiled from writers of considerable credit. Indeed few works of consequence, under the respective heads, seem to have escaped him; and the original words are, as usual, employed. Of course, we need not follow him. The chapter on poisons is sufficiently full and satisfactory; and the appendix relates to pneumatic medicine, including a description of Mr. Watts's apparatus for inhaling factitious airs.

The third volume commences with a history of surgery, which is, however, not properly brought down to the present period. On the subject of wounds, compilation is less obvious; and the author's chief assistants are Mr. Latta and Mr. Hunter: the observations of the latter author chiefly relate to gun-shot wounds. With respect to poisoned wounds, Fontana, Mead, Moseley, and the tribe of philosophers and physicians who have written, on hydrophobia, are liberally copied. The doctrine of inflammation here adduced is that of Mr. Hunter; and he is principally followed, though the remedies generally employed are properly noticed. Ulcers are the subject of the

next chapter; and these are succeeded by a full view of the treatment of cancers, and the unsuccessful attempts of numerous pretenders. Inflammatory tumours, including lumbar abs cess, whitloes, contusions, sprains, chilblains, and tumours on the nerves, conclude the volume.

The fourth volume contains abstracts from the most approved authors, on indolent tumours; diseases of the bones; various modes of letting blood, with the management of issues; sutures and ligature of arteries; injuries of the brain; diseases of the eye, ear, and nose; fistula lacrymalis; affections of the mouth and throat; wry neck; bronchotomy and oesophagotomy; sore nipples; paracentesis of the thorax and abdomen; hydrocele, hæmatocele scroti, varicocele, cirescele, spermatocele, pneumatocele, and sarcocele; an account of calculi, with the remedies for their solution, and lithotomy; diseases of the bladder, &c.; luxations and fractures; amputation; cutaneous diseases; distortions and contractions; bandages; method of making ana tomical preparations, and embalming. At the end are collected the different facts and observations relative to suspended animation, electricity, and Galvanism. A description of some new chirurgical instruments, and a table of mercurial preparations-we suspect from Swediaur—are added.

The last volume is on midwifery, and the diseases of children, including, among the latter, rickets and cow-pox. The chapter on cow-pox was communicated by Mr. King. A case of hydrocephalus, annexed, was removed by mercurials, and, towards the end, digitalis. The unguentum mercuriale was rubbed in, and calomel given in large doses. Some useful tables, &c. are subjoined.

On the whole, we think this compilation, notwithstanding its weeds be numerous, and the hoe be much required, is not destitute of merit. The best authors on each subject have been consulted, and, in many instances, advantageously. We need not again repeat, that the work might have been shortened by offering abstracts instead of copies; but it might, perhaps, have not been so satisfactory."

ART. XIII.-The Substance of a Speech, intended to have been spoken in the House of Lords, November 22d, 1803, by R. Watson, Lord Bishop of Landaff. 8vo. Is. Ed. Cadell and Davies. 1803.

AT what period of time, since the commencement of the present war, this speech was planned, we know not that it was designed to have been spoken on the opening of the present session of parliament, we collect from the title; and the information is by no means unnecessary; for, independently of such premonition, we could not have collected any such design from

any one page or any one expression that occurs in its entire scope. The right reverend author was certainly, at the date of its composition, unacquainted with the speech intended to be spoken from the throne, with its various topics and divisions; and hence, without pretending to relate specifically to any one circumstance to which it might advert, it embraces, with a sweeping circumference, the whole extent of our political situation, as well domestic as foreign, as well civil as military. That it contains much sound advice, much wholesome truth, and irrefragable reasoning, few can doubt, even antecedently to a perusal, who are acquainted with the writings of the learned compiler, and no one who has submitted it to a careful investigation. Yet we can scarcely believe that it will uniformly please any party, and, least of all, those of the highchurch and the cabinet. Admitting, in effect, the truth of most of the propositions here advanced, we much question whether many of them be well timed; and we are confident that, if several of them were to be acted upon at the present moment, no small portion of that patriotic unanimity and ardor which is the peculiar boast of the right reverend speaker, under the immediate pressure of our calamities, would give way to party distinctions, to sectarian zeal, and ecclesiastical fermentation. But we are anticipating a conclusion which we ought to allow our readers to deduce for themselves.

The speech, in its exordium, descants with due and deserved animation upon the constitution of our country, and the high-spirited efforts evinced in its defence.

Is any one ignorant of these blessings? does any one think that he has nothing to fight for, that his condition is so mean and uncomfortable that, let what will happen, it cannot become worse under any constitution which may take place? Mistaken man! go and see if thou canst find in France-a trial by jury-an Habeas Corpus act— an incorrupt administration of justice-an equality of law a secu rity of life and property-a parochial maintenance for thy orphans and thy widow-and for thyself, when age or accident shall have unnerved the arm of industry? Blessings these! which the meanest English man so liberally enjoys, that he is apt to overlook them; which the greatest Frenchmen so eagerly desire, that they will ere long with swords in their hands demand them. The soldiery of France, of Holland, Switzerland, Italy, glutted at length with slaughter, satiated at length with plunder, will, ere long, begin to be ashamed, officers and men, of the part they have acted in this revolutionary tragedy of the world; they will at length make an atonement for the mischief they have done, and snap, at once, the despotic chains, which in a fit of faction, passion, and insanity, they have contributed to impose on their respective countries.

But be this at it may,-for there is little certainty in any political prediction, and least of all in mine,-permit me to congratulate your lordships and the nation on that military ardour which is every where excited. It is every where excited to such a pitch, that were our ge